Earlier today the U.S. Census American Communities Survey poverty data was updated to include data for 2012. The data revealed some grim news for Mississippi families. Poverty in Mississippi is increasing. In 2007 one in five Mississippians lived in poverty… (read more)
Income & Working Families
While working hard, many of Mississippi’s families fall short of economic security. According to an analysis of data from the U.S. Census, approximately 42% of Mississippi’s working families are low-income and 22% of residents live in poverty. The resources below examine ways to improve the economic opportunities of Mississippi’s working families through work supports, job training, and higher education.
Featured Reports & Facts Sheets
A piece of legislation moving through the Mississippi House would set aside $10 million in public tax revenue for funding private school tuition. The $10 million for private school subsidies would be supported by tax credits to individuals or businesses… (read more)
Developmental education courses offer a route to college-readiness for over 22,000 of community college students across Mississippi each year. However, taking developmental education courses requires additional time and financial resources from students, and as a result, students in remedial courses… (read more)
All Reports & Facts Sheets
A recent post examines wages through the lens of gender in Mississippi. Differences in wages between men and women are not the only ones that exist within the state. Mississippi’s median wage gap between white and African American workers is… (read more)
It has now been more than five years since Mississippi and the nation entered the 2007 recession. Across the country and in our state, men’s wages fell substantially from the mid-2000s to a low in 2010 (see chart). In contrast,… (read more)
Data released recently from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Mississippi’s labor force continues to encounter unemployment at higher than average rates. In March, the nation’s unemployment rate registered 7.6%. Mississippi’s unemployment rate came in at 9.4%, the 3rd… (read more)
Previous blogs have discussed the importance of adequate revenue to fund critical state services. Universities and community colleges are among these important state-funded resources, and the level of support we provide to each school ultimately influences the cost of college… (read more)
As tax day approaches, our thoughts often turn to the personal income tax. While this is one of the major taxes collected, there are actually several taxes and fees that state residents and businesses pay in order to fund our… (read more)
